A combination of city and rural life defines Fitchburg, WI. Boasting a growing population of 23,000 plus, Fitchburg celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008. It is an incredibly dynamic young city located just 10 minutes from downtown Madison. Fitchburg is an environmentally progressive market. Due to its close locale, Fitchburg plays a prominent role in the biking community, both for recreation and transportation. It offers plenty of user-friendly bike trails, including the Capital City, Badger State and Military Ridge Trails, with easy access to unlimited possibilities of exploration. In addition, Fitchburg hosts a beautiful park system, including McKee Farms Park, the largest of Fitchburg's green spaces, which features tennis, soccer, and baseball fields. Other activities include the amazing Kids Crossing Dream playground, kite-flying on Sundays, and summer concerts in the park. Fitchburg has five sites on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Fox Hall, a Greek revival style stone house built by the Fox family in 1856. Another property of historic interest is the Oscar Mayer Observatory, now located on the hilltop property of Fitchburg Research Park Associates. Originally, it was located on the UW Campus but was moved to Fitchburg in 1960. A rich assortment of Fitchburg community events ranges from a Thursday farmers market May through October, exciting holiday events from Easter egg hunts, other holiday festivals, an enchanted forest, and winter sleigh rides. A diverse retail community offers up an assortment of independent businesses and other well-known establishments. Finally, the local dining scene promises to satisfy those cravings from calzones to paninis, steaks to curry, cold beverages to steaming hot gourmet coffee.